Campaign
“FOR A MINE-FREE, WESTERN SAHARA”
The main objective of this plea was to encourage local actors, NGOs and the international community, in particular the UN Secretary General to join this action, to comply with their respective responsibilities and become more involved with the mine victims and the Saharawi people in general which has been living for more than 30 years alongside a heavily mined berm that divides its territory in two.
The Sahrawi civil society, on behalf of Muna, a 4 years old girl, victim of a cluster bomb explosion, in Bir Lehlu region , east of the berm, on behalf of Abderrahman Ahmed Reigat, a three year old boy, whose body was filled with shards of shrapnel and lost his father in a mine accident, in Mahbes region ,east of the berm. On behalf of the thousands of affected people and on behalf of the Saharawi people in general, we call on the international community to demand and put pressure on the government of Morocco so as to join the international clamor to ban landmines use in Western Sahara, and to become more involved in meeting its humanitarian, political, and legal responsibilities in the following:
• Adherence to the Mine Ban Treaty and the Convention on Cluster Munitions;
• Unconditionally take part in programs on humanitarian demining and risk education in the western part of the berm;
• Providing targeted and sustainable long-term assistance to landmine survivors, their families and affected communities in the Saharawi territories under its control.
sign this peticion
Dear UN Secretary
General; Ladies and Gentlemen.
According to
several NGOs, the territory of Western Sahara is one of the most heavily mine
contaminated areas in the world. Landmines, A/T mines, cluster bombs and UXOs
were laid down in the territory following the invasion and occupation of
Western Sahara by Morocco and Mauritania.
The consequences
and effects of landmines and cluster bombs used by the Moroccan army in Western
Sahara go beyond the military field, since the effectiveness of these weapons
did end with the cessation of hostilities between the parties in conflict.
Therefore, the mines remain active for decades on, and although up to so far
there are no figures that reflect the true magnitude of the situation,
civilians and the general population are and remain the direct victims of this
scourge. Although the mines were used by the Moroccan army, the Sahrawi
population is the victim, and even the UN peacekeeping mission is also
suffering the consequences.
The mines’ situation in Western
Sahara is not only a real danger to the inhabitants, but also a serious
obstacle to a final resolution of the conflict in the territory since 1975.
During the
celebrations of the International Day of Landmine Awareness on April 4th, the
Sahrawi Association of Mine Victims launched an appeal for Mine awareness,
creating a local campaign called "Lend me your leg” that calls for a
mine-free Western Sahara. Various Saharawi civil society organizations joined
and showed support for the campaign.
The main objective of this plea was to encourage local actors, NGOs and the international community, in particular the UN Secretary General to join this action, to comply with their respective responsibilities and become more involved with the mine victims and the Saharawi people in general which has been living for more than 30 years alongside a heavily mined berm that divides its territory in two.
The Sahrawi civil society, on behalf of Muna, a 4 years old girl, victim of a cluster bomb explosion, in Bir Lehlu region , east of the berm, on behalf of Abderrahman Ahmed Reigat, a three year old boy, whose body was filled with shards of shrapnel and lost his father in a mine accident, in Mahbes region ,east of the berm. On behalf of the thousands of affected people and on behalf of the Saharawi people in general, we call on the international community to demand and put pressure on the government of Morocco so as to join the international clamor to ban landmines use in Western Sahara, and to become more involved in meeting its humanitarian, political, and legal responsibilities in the following:
• Adherence to the Mine Ban Treaty and the Convention on Cluster Munitions;
• Unconditionally take part in programs on humanitarian demining and risk education in the western part of the berm;
• Providing targeted and sustainable long-term assistance to landmine survivors, their families and affected communities in the Saharawi territories under its control.
sign this peticion